Unagi Donburi (Japanese Grilled Eel Rice Bowl)
Unagidon is a luxurious dish made with grilled eel coated in a special sweet and sticky sauce served on rice. It's typically enjoyed as a summer treat and here I will teach you how to prepare and cook eel, as well as make the delicious unagi sauce from scratch!
- Prep time
- 20 min
- Cook time
- 30 min
- Yield
- 2 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 3 tbsp turbinado sugar (coarse light brown (zarame))
- 1 tsp dark brown sugar (muscovado or similar)
- 5 tbsp sake
- 5 tbsp mirin
- 5 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
- 300 g filleted eels (1 fillet is approx 150g)
- 2 tbsp sake
- 2 portions cooked Japanese short-grain rice
- Japanese sansho pepper (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Pour 3 tbsp turbinado sugar and 1 tsp dark brown sugar into a cold saucepan. Set the pan on the stove and heat over medium-low.
- 2
When the sugar starts to melt, add 5 tbsp sake and 5 tbsp mirin. Bring to boil and let it cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- 3
Reduce the heat to a simmer and add 5 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu). Stir occasionally, and simmer until slightly thickened (about 10 minutes).
- 4
Scoop off any foam that formed on top, and remove the pan from the heat. Leave it cool while you prepare the eel.
- 5
Wash 300 g filleted freshwater eels with cold running water. Cover a chopping board with a sheet of plastic wrap and place the eel on top. To cut the eel, gently press the blade of the knife in the place you want to cut, then hold the knife still and slide the eel backwards and forwards as you slowly move the knife down. Cut the eel fillets in halves or thirds.
- 6
Place the eel skin-side down in a cold frying pan and pour 2 tbsp sake around them.
- 7
Cover with a lid and heat on medium-low. When it starts to steam, set a timer for 3 minutes. While you wait, preheat the grill/broiler on medium-high.
- 8
After 3 minutes, remove the pan from the heat. Line a wire rack with foil and place it over a baking tray. Arrange the eel on the wire rack so that the skin side is facing the heat source. Slide under the grill/broiler and cook for 6 minutes.
- 9
Turn the eel over and grill the skin side for 5 minutes or until lightly charred.
- 10
Side the tray out and brush an even layer of sauce all over the skin. Return it to the grill for 30 seconds or until it looks lacquered (keep an eye on it, the sauce burns quickly if left).
- 11
Carefully flip the eel over, apply the sauce to the other side and grill for 30 seconds. Flip and repeat six times in total, so each side has been brushed with sauce and grilled three times each.
- 12
Divide 2 portions cooked Japanese short-grain rice into serving bowls and brush the top with leftover unagi sauce.
- 13
Place the eel on top and sprinkle with Japanese sansho pepper. Enjoy!